Striker for igniters



c. D. As'cl-IERl/ILJLY ET AL March 4, 1952 STRIKER FOR IGNITERS Filed Sept. 4, 1946 l Q LB..

PAM Mw 'Patented Mar. 4, *1952 STRIKER FOR IGNITERS Conrad David Schermuly, Alfred James Schermuly, and Charles Schermuly,

digate, England Parkgate, Newl' yAppl'imion september 4,1946,seria1No.694,6s3

In Great Britain February 23, 1945 4 Claims.

This invention relates to strikers for igniters of the kind wherein the striker pin is held in its retracted position against a spring by m-eans of a pin or slotted plate either of which, when withdrawn, allows the striker to move onto an explosive cap to detonate it.

Hitherto it has been usual, in order to release the striker, to remove the pin by holding the device in one hand and removing the pin or slotted plate with the other. In this manner the device at the instant of firing is held in only one hand, and it has been foundthat with some devices, notably those which, when fired, have substantial recoil, it is desirable that the device should be held with both hands.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means wh-ereby the device can be held with both hands at the same time, the striker being operated without removing either hand.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show one embodiment of the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a device comprising a striker,

Figure 2 is an end elevation, viewed from the right in Figure l, of the device with the handle removed and Figure 3 is an end elevation, viewed from the left in Figure 1, of the handle.

Referring to the drawings, the striker I has one end 2 flattened and formed with a shoulder 3. The other end of the striker I is provided with a point 4 adapted to strike a detonating cap.

The striker I and its associated spring 6 are carried in a sleeve 'I one end of which is provided with a recess for the detonating cap and the other end of which is secured to a plate 8. The vplate 8 is circular and is provided with a central aperture 9 through which the end 2 of the strik-er I passes. The sleeve 'i is rigidly held in the rear end of a barrel portion IU, which may be a part of, or may be secured to, a discharger for rockets or the like.

From Figure 2 it can be seen that the aperture 9 is of elongated shape so that when the striker' is turned to bring the flattened end 2 into coincidence with the aperture 9, the spring 6 can force the strik-er I forward to detonate the cap in the recess 5. On the other hand, when the end 2 is kturned through 90 into the position shown in Figures l and 2, the shoulder 3 of the end 2 abuts against the plate B and holds the striker I in retracted position.

Turning of the striker I is eifected by means of a handle II having at its front end a portion I2 of reduced diameter adapted to slide within the rear end of the barrel portion I0. The portion I2 has in its face a recess I3 which is the same shape as, and slightly larger than, the end 2 (see Figure 3). By holding the barrel portion IU in one hand and gripping the handle II in the other hand, the barrel portion may be held firmly while the handle I I is turned through Such turning releases the striker I and res the detonating cap.

To render impossible any premature actuation of the striker I, the rear end of the barrel portion IIJ and the portion I2 of the handle II may be bored for the reception of a safety pin I4.

What we claim is:

l. A device comprising a barrel portion, a spring loaded striker in said barrel portion, a portion of said striker being of attened crosssectional shape and extending longitudinally axially at the rear end of said striker with a shoulder on the front end of said attened portion, an apertured plate across the said barrel portion adjacent the rear end thereof at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the striker, said plate having an elongated aperture of the same shape as and slightly larger than the crosssection of said attened portion of the striker. said striker being rotatable relative to the plate, and a handle rotatable about its axis on the rear end of said barrel portion adapted to engage with said striker whereby said aperture may be aligned with the attened portion of said striker, thus permitting free movement of said striker axially of said barrel.

2. A device comprising a barrel portion, a rotatable striker movable in said barrel portion, a spring urging the striker forward, an apertured fixed plate across the barrel adjacent its rear end at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the striker, said plate having an elongated aperture, a rear axially extending portion of the striker being of attened cross-sectional shape substantially the same as and slightly smaller than the elongated aperture and having a shoulder at its front end, whereby the striker may be held in retracted position by passing said nattened portion through said elongated aperture and turning said striker so that said shoulder abuts against said plate, a rotatable handle on the rear end of said barrel portion, said handle having a common axis with the striker and being rotatable around its axis, a front face of said handle having a recess of cross-sectional shape similar to but slightly larger than said flattened portion and adapted to receive said -attened portion, whereby by turning said,hand1e about its axis the said attened portion may be turned to a position where it is coincident with said elongated aperture in which position said spring can move said striker forward.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the rear end of said barrel portion, and said handle are apertured to receive a safety pin.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein a sleeve in said barrel portion houses said striker.

CONRAD DAVID SCHERMULY. ALFRED JAMES SCHERMULY. CHARLES SCHERMULY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,160,343 Tomaszewski Nov. 16, 1915 1,553,826 Laurence Sept. 15, 1925 1,663,834 Goss Mar. 27, 1928 l0 1,842,922 Von Frantzius Jan. 26, 1932 2,353,971 Shaffer et a1 July 18, 1944 2,444 920 Davis, Jr., et a1. July 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS x5 Number Country Date 591,362 Great Britain Aug. 15, 1947 

